Bundesliga Match Day 34: Weekend Wrap-Up (and Season, too!)
Well, it's finally over. 34 Match Days up, 34 Match Days down. We covered the final 14 and will be onboard for ALL 34 next season. Our prediction record, well, let's just say if I was placing bets to an imaginary bookie who operated out of the imaginary basement that was located in an imaginary "shop" I would be making a trip to pay off some serious debt!
This week's record: 5-4 This season's (embarrassing) record: 59-67 Note: Predicted ties count as a win if correct and as a loss if there is a winner; conversely if a game is predicted to have a winner but ends in a tie, it will count as a loss.
On the bright side, it can only go up from our performance this year. We will continue to provide Bundesliga coverage in the offseason, along with DFB Pokal finale coverage and World Cup coverage as well. Basically, keep coming here (and following us on Twitter @TheBarrelBlog) for the searing hot takes and the self-loathing.
Final recaps are below.
Bayer Leverkusen 3, Hannover 96 2: Die Werkself is on the verge of being a frightening offensive team. While most of the focus has been on Julian Brandt, Leon Bailey, Kai Havertz, and Kevin Volland; Lucas Alario quietly amassed nine Bundesliga goals, including two in this game to help Leverkusen secure a Europa League berth. Brandt also score for Leverkusen, which was up 3-0 entering extra time before Niclas Füllkrug and Martin Harnik put home goals for the ever-pesky Hannover side. Hannover's season was excellent in its return to the top flight. There is plenty to build on with what they did and Fullkrug has a tremendous season.
VfB Stuttgart 4, Bayern Munich 1: Stuttgart did everything to give itself a chance at the Europa League on the final match day, but did not catch enough breaks despite hammering the the six-time league champions. With Mario Gomez away on paternity leave, Daniel Ginczek (two goals), Anastasios Donis, and Chadrac Akolo powered the offense, while Corentin Tolisso supplied the offense for Bayern. Notably, Robert Lewandowski missed out on securing his 30th goal, which would have tied him with Gerd Müller for most consecutive seasons with 30 goals or more in the Bundesliga.
SC Freiburg 2, FC Augsburg 0: Nicolas HoflerTim Kleindienst
Hamburger SV 2, Borussia Monchengladbach 1: Aaron Hunt and Lewis Holtby helped Der Dinosaur win the game, but the Bundesliga's most tenured club will now be relegated. Surely, this is not the last we see of HSV, but a great wake-up call for an organization that has become complacent. For M'Gladbach, it was yet another unfulfilling and disappointing effort. Josip Drmic had the goal for the Foals.
RB Leipzig 6, Hertha Berlin 2: Leipzig put up even more offense that we expected behind goals from Dayot Upamecano, Ademola Lookman (two), Jean-Kevin Augustin (two), and Timo Werner to batter Hertha Berlin, which received goals from Vedad Ibisevic and Saloman Kalou. Die Roten Bullen will likely have a distinctly different look next season. If Werner has a good World Cup, it's conceivable the club operates on a "Sell High" mentality.
Hoffenheim 3, Borussia Dortmund 1: For as good a job as Julian Nagelsmann did this season, BVB was equally disappointing even as they earned a Champions League berth. Hoffenheim has been nothing short of tremendous in the second half of the season and used goals from Andrej Kramaric, Adam Szalai, and Pavel Kaderabek to race by Dortmund, which only recevied a goal from stalwart, Marco Reus. It should be noted that Peter Stoger oversaw the collapse of FC Koln and barely kept Dortmund - despite its abundance of talent - afloat long enough to hang on to its Champions League spot.
Werder Bremen 2, Mainz 1: Werder received goals from Florian Kainz and Theodor Gebre Selassie to best Mainz in the only game on the slate that had ZERO relegation or European implications.
Schalke 04 1, Eintracht Frankfurt 0: It was a disappointing Bundesliga finale for Niko Kovac as the Eagles were blanked by the Royal Blues. Guido Burgstaller had the only goal in the game.
Wolfsburg 4, FC Koln 1: Koln finally quit on its season and got boat-raced by the Wolves. Josuha Guilavogui, Divock Origi, Robin Knoche, and Josip Brekalo out-paced the long Billy Goats goal from Jonas Hector.
